System for tracking operator certification of FAB equipment and processes

ABSTRACT

A software system is provided that tracks employee and contractor operation/certification of fabrication equipment and processes is provided to ensure that only qualified personnel are allowed to process the materials. The system is real time with an auto-update features, Web enabled, dynamic tool interface with automatic record checking and reporting.

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to a factory manager WEB enabled waferfabrication operations equipment operator certification, productionmonitoring and authorization system.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

A manufacturing semiconductor fabrication facility can use many toolsand materials. At a Texas Instruments Incorporated there are as many as900 tools and associated software at a single fabrication facility. Thetools and materials change from time to time. A source of bad processingor scrapping customer production materials in semiconductor processingis unqualified or unauthorized individuals loading or runningproduction/customer materials. It is highly desirable to have a systemthat tracks employee operations and employee certification offabrication equipment and processes in real time format to ensure thatonly qualified personnel are allowed to process customer materials.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention an integratedsystem is provided that tracks user operation certification offabrication equipment and processes in real time format to ensure onlyqualified personnel are allowed to process customer materials.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING

FIG. 1 illustrates the system components for tracking employeeoperations and certification of according to one embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of the system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates a certification record.

FIG. 4 illustrates a screen access for user number.

FIG. 5 illustrates a screen access to select a module or tool, a processand a cadre or trainer if being trained.

FIG. 6 illustrates the initial step steps of an audit to determine ifthe audit is a subform or a primary form.

FIG. 7 illustrates the steps where the audit is a subform initialcertification.

FIG. 8 illustrates the steps if a subform re-certification is to beperformed.

FIG. 9 illustrates the steps if the audit is a nonsubform/initialcertification.

FIG. 10 illustrates the steps if the audit is a nonsubformre-certification.

FIG. 11 illustrates the steps for final signoff entry process forre-certification.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1 there is illustrated the system components accordingto one embodiment of the present invention that tracks employeeoperations and employee and other user certification of fabricationequipment and processes in real time format to ensure that onlyqualified personnel are allowed to process customer materials.

Each of Automation Systems 1 thru N in FIG. 1 represents a fabricationequipment tool control system. Each automation system includes a SuperService Bundle (SSB) that identifies which tool is working on whichmaterial, which type of device and which material it can run. It alsocontains the log point operations or steps to build the device. Eachautomation control systems 1 thru N is coupled to the equipment and willlock the system from use unless the user is certified. The object is tohave a system that tracks employee or contractoroperations/certification of fabrication equipment and processes in realtime format to ensure that only qualified personnel are allowed toprocess customer materials.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention each of theautomation systems 1 through N check to determine if the requesting userof the tool or other equipment is an employee or certified contractor,if the user is qualified to run the type of tool or other equipment, towork on the device being fabricated and the material being used. Theuser of the tool for the process accesses the tool by, for example,passing a bar code such as on the users badge or other access cardacross a reader at the tool access point. The automation system (system1 through N) with knowledge of the tool or other equipment requirementsinquires at a certification server 11 to determine if the requester iscertified to access the equipment. The certification server 11 checks anauto-certification database 13 to determine a match for the employee orcontractor to determine if access is permitted. The database 13 containsthe record of the employee or contractor and the equipment and materialsand products the employee is certified to use.

Semiconductor Manufacturing System (SMS) 15 keeps tracks of a product.It contains a record of the product. It has the customer identification,device name, lot number and wafer identification. It records the logpoints and operations. It provides updates to a qualification database17 which, in turn, provides daily SMS updates and qualification recordsto the auto-certification database 13. The updates include tool updates,material updates and user updates and certification updates and records.

Referring to FIG. 2 is illustrated the process. In Step 1 the operatorscans the operators badge and lot data information for the device beingmade at the tool or equipment location. The Super Service Bundle (SSB)associated with each automated system or tool defines the tool the useris working on and which material. The next Step 2 is the automationsystem such as System 1 inquires at the certification server 11 forqualification of the user for this type of system. In Step 3 thecertification server 11 checks certification for the requested operatorfor which tools and log point operation which is the device type, logpoint to build the device and the operations which is the subsets of thestep to build the device. In Step 4 the certification server replies tothe automation. In Step 5 the server decides if there is certificationto use the tool. If the answer is “yes”, certification is given andautomation continues as usual in Step 6. If the answer is “no” thesystem shows an error screen and warning not to process lot at Steps 7and 8 respectively and process with that user ends.

The auto-certification database 13 gets updated every four hours. TheSMS updates are sent to the training database 17 and once every day thisis sent to the auto-certification database 13. Certification data isuploaded automatically to the production servers for systems 1 through Non a daily basis. However, a manual “push” of the data can be performedat any time using an IMS user/password controlled web page 19. Becausethe certification server 11 is such a critical part of the process thereis a backup secondary server 11A.

The database 17 contains personnel management information. It contains alisting of employees and contractors and their certification status onthe different tools or equipment and processes. FIG. 3 illustrates arecord. It lists the employee and contractor and identifies whichequipment or process and identified if employee or contractor iscertified, if in-training or certification has expired. Thecertification server 11 with the database 13 stores the certificationinformation. It also contains training information for those who intendto be certified.

The certification server 11 contains an “In Training” access to permitaccess to permit a potential user to be certified via a training managerand a small group of instructors or cadre who are certified. The accessto the tool through the certification server 11 may be through a webpage using a training manager program. This may be by connection atmanual web page option 19 or by a connection to the training database17.

A training manager is provided that manages the training of users of thetools. The database and the certification server provide a list of cadreor peer trainers. It also has a listing of those who intend to becertified. When a user wants to be certified or to be re-certified he orshe must access the system via a web page for example. A Graphical UserInterface (GUI) screen access may be used. FIG. 4 illustrates a screenGUI access where an employee or contractor can enter his or her name byentering an employee or contractor number. The Screen 2 in FIG. 5illustrates how the user may select a module or tool, a process and acadre or trainer if being trained. The selection of the module mayinclude a pull own menu of equipment. The selection of the process mayinclude a pull down menu of processes. The selection of a cadre mayinclude a pull down menu of cadres or trainers who are in the system andare certified to train before access is given to the tool.

The person being audited is first determined if the audit form is asubform or a primary form. See FIG. 6. The subform address uniquecombinations/sequences. There are devices that use a different sequenceof log points and operations on a tool. An example would be a thin filmprocess tool that has six chambers on it, each with differentchemical/process steps options available. Any combination of the sixcould be used, i.e. there can be 720 different combinations/devices thatare unique. If a primary form, then it is determined if the audit is aninitial certification or a re-certification. If a subform, then it isdetermined if this is a re-certification or in initial certification.The system determines when re-certification is deemed necessary. Thesystem has a time limit for completing the certification orre-certification.

Referring to FIG. 7 there is illustrated the steps where the audit is asubform initial certification. It determines if the minimum trainingtime limit passed on the primary form. If no, the audit is terminated.If passed (yes), it determines if there is a prerequisite certificationfor this audit. If not, the audit is performed. If there is aprerequisite certification, it determines if the specialist has therequired prerequisite. If not the audit is terminated. If yes, the auditbegins.

If a subform re-certification is to be performed, the flow follows FIG.8. It first determines if an audit is required for re-certification and,if not, the audit is terminated. If the audit for re-certification isrequired, it determines if the certification process is locked in anOpTraining table on a Primary Form. If yes, the audit is terminated. Ifno, the audit begins.

If the audit is a nonsubform/initial certification, as illustrated inFIG. 9, it is determined if the minimum training time limit is passed.If not, the audit is terminated. If “yes”, then it is determined ifthere is a prerequisite certification for this audit. If “no”, the auditis terminated. If “yes”, then it is determined if there is aprerequisite certification for this audit. If “no”, the audit begins. If“yes”, then it is determined if the specialist has the requiredprerequisite. If “no”, it is terminated. If “yes”, the audit begins.

If the audit is a nonsubform re-certification, it is determined if anaudit is required in FIG. 10. If “no”, the audit is terminated and ifrequired it determines if the certification process is locked in theOPTraining table. If so, it is terminated and if not the audit isstarted.

FIG. 11 illustrates the final signoff entry process forre-certification. It first determines if there is a test for thiscertification. If “yes”, a signoff ID is inserted into an activeOpTraining record. It then sends email to specified parties saying thatthe test is needed for certification completion. If there is not a test,it determines if this is a subform of a primary form. If “no”, itupdates re-certification date and signoff ID in the OpTraining table andsends email to specified parties saying the certification is complete.If this is a subform, it is determined if all the subforms for theprimary form are completed. If “yes”, then update re-certification dateof primary form in the OpTraining table. The system then updatesre-certification date and signoff ID in the OpTraining table and sendsemail to specified parties saying the certification is complete.

The system also generates a report on attempts to process material by anunqualified person. Wherever a person tries to access a machine orprocess and that person is not certified, the certification serverrecords the person or machine and the time and date and sends that tothe database 13 and that record can be retrieved by an access point suchas through the web. The system also keeps track of production from theautomation systems.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described withreference to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood by thoseskilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

1. A method of reducing fabrication errors at a manufacturing facilityhaving a plurality of tools and processes comprising the steps of:providing a certification database containing a record of certified usernames and tools and/or processes the users are certified to use;prohibiting access to said tools and/or processes unless the user iscertified according to said record at said certification database; saidprohibiting step includes locking user access to said tools and/orprocesses until granting access according to said record and providing atraining means with access for certifying and recertifying of apotential user including providing a menu of tools and processes forsaid potential user to be certified or recertified and providing meansfor selection of tools and processes for the potential user to becertified or recertified to use and providing a listing for selection oftrainers who are in the database to train the potential user to becertified or recertified.
 2. A system for reducing fabrication errors ata manufacturing facility having a plurality of tools and processescomprising: a certification database containing a record of certifieduser names and tools and/or processes the users are certified to use;means for prohibiting access to said tools and/or processes unless theuser is certified according to said record at said certificationdatabase, said prohibiting access means includes a certification servercoupled to said database and said means for prohibiting access forlocking user access to said tools or processes until granting accessaccording to said record; means for certifying and recertifying apotential user including providing training access and providing a menuof tools and processes for said potential user to be certified orrecertified and means for selection of tools and processes and providinga listing of trainers for selection who are in the system to trainbefore giving access to the tools or processes.
 3. A system for reducingfabrication errors at a manufacturing facility having a plurality oftools and processes comprising: a certification database containing arecord of certified user names and tools and/or processes the users arecertified to use; means for prohibiting access to said tools and/orprocesses at a user access means unless the user is certified accordingto said record at said certification database, said prohibiting accessmeans includes a certification server coupled to said database and saidmeans for prohibiting access for locking user access to said tools orprocesses until granting access according to said record; means forcertifying and recertifying a potential user including means forauditing a person to be a potential user; said auditing means includingmeans for determining if the audit is a subform or a primary form wheresaid subform addresses devices that use unique combinations/sequences ofsteps to build a device and operations on a tool; and if a primary formor subform means for determining if the audit is an initialcertification or recertification.
 4. The system of claim 3 wherein ifthe audit is a subform and is an initial certification means fordetermining if a minimum training time limit is passed on the primaryform and if not terminating the audit and if the minimum time limit ispassed determining if there is a prerequisite certification for thisaudit and if not performing the audit and if so determining if apotential user has the required prerequisite and if not to terminate theaudit and if so begin the audit.
 5. The system of claim 3 wherein if theaudit is a subform and a recertification is to be performed determiningif an audit is required for recertification and if not terminating theaudit and if an audit is required determining if the certification islocked in a table on a primary form and if so to terminate the audit andif not to begin the audit.
 6. The system of claim 3 wherein if the auditis a primary certification and is an initial certification determiningif a minimum training time limit is passed and if not terminating theaudit and if the minimum training time has passed determining if thereis a prerequisite certification for this audit and if not performing theaudit and if so determining if a potential user has the requiredprerequisite and if not to terminate the audit and if the potential userhas the required prerequisite performing audit.
 7. The system of claim 3wherein if the audit is a primary recertification determining if anaudit is required and if the audit is not required terminating the auditand if determining the audit is required determining if thecertification is locked in a training table and if so to terminate theaudit and if not to begin the audit.
 8. A method for reducingfabrication errors at a manufacturing facility having a plurality oftools and processes comprising: providing a certification databasecontaining a record of certified user names and tools and/or materialsthe users are certified to use; prohibiting access to said tools and/orprocesses unless the user is certified according to said record at saidcertification database; auditing a person to be a user comprising thesteps of determining if the audit is a subform or a primary form wheresaid subform addresses devices that use unique combinations/sequences ofsteps to build a device and operations on a tool; and if a primary formor subform determining if the audit is an initial certification orrecertification.
 9. The method of claim 8 wherein if the audit is asubform and an initial certification determining if a minimum trainingtime limit is passed on the primary form and if not terminating theaudit and if the minimum time limit is passed determining if there is aprerequisite certification for this audit and if not performing theaudit and if so determining if a potential user has the requiredprerequisite and if not to terminate the audit and if so begin theaudit.
 10. The method of claim 8 wherein if the audit is a subform and arecertification is to be performed determining if an audit is requiredfor recertification and if not terminating the audit and if an audit isrequired determining if the certification is locked in a table on aprimary form and if so to terminate the audit and if not to begin theaudit.
 11. The method of claim 8 wherein if the audit is a primary andan initial certification determining if a minimum training time limit ispassed and if not terminating the audit and if the minimum training timehas passed determining if there is a prerequisite certification for thisaudit and if not performing the audit and if so determining if apotential user has the required prerequisite and if not to terminate theaudit and if the the potential user has the required prerequisiteperforming audit.